dharma talk

Be the Light

Upon his great awakening, Sotesan, our founding master, said: When the moon rises while a fresh breeze blows, the myriad forms become naturally clear. In this dharma talk, Reverend WonGong teaches us the meaning of this short verse and reflects upon the role of light in Won Buddhism.

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Self Examination

In this talk on using the Dharma to combat depression, Anne Freeman imagines a conversation between herself, Master Sotesan, the founding teacher of Won Buddhism, and Emily Dickinson. What do these two figures say about dealing with difficult emotions and the evening blues? How can we use meditation to clear the weeds of disturbance from our mind field?

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The Mirror of Practical Practice

This talk explores mindfulness tracking using diaries, apps, or small objects like beans. Kathleen Herr (Won HerrJu) shares personal experiences with tracking habits, including arriving early and speaking kindly. By observing patterns, they show how setbacks can lead to growth in mindfulness.

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Numinous Awareness

Reverend WonGong explores the concept of numinous awareness, a deep knowing beyond ordinary perception. She connects it to Buddhist teachings, nature, and meditation, emphasizing its role in understanding our true nature. Through reflection and practice, she encourages us to recognize this awareness in everyday life.

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Il Won Sang Vow: A Review

In this immensely helpful dharma talk, longtime practitioner Michael Macklin (HyoungSan-nim) beautifully guides us through the meanings and highlights of Won Buddhist teachings and philosophy woven together in the Il-Won-Sang Vow. In addition to sharing useful background information, Michael also points out how these teachings interconnect.

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Learning to Practice Equanimity

Understanding the true meaning of equanimity can sometimes feel elusive, but even when its meaning is clear, the path to its practice may not be. In this informative and insightful dharma talk, longtime practitioner, Pete Warshaw (Won JeeHo), shares his journey to find equanimity's meaning and practice, as well as a helpful tool he discovered along the way.

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How to Care for Hungry Ghosts?

Hungry Ghosts, according to Temple Member Shauna Hay, are often desires that have never been satisfied and the “if only” mindset that comes with the fear of missing out. In her dharma talk, she discusses how we can love our hungry ghosts back to wholeness.

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The Practice of Going Beyond

In the heart sutra, we chant a mantra that translates to “Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond, now awakened!” This mantra is a powerful reminder that awakening comes from moving beyond. But beyond what? What is it that we must go beyond to awaken?

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Post Election Musing

In a divided world, deep listening and letting go of attachments to outcomes bring clarity and peace. Becky Daniel reflects on embracing diverse perspectives with humility and staying calm through life’s changes. Through love, compassion, and respect for all, we can all find hope and strength in practice.

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Keeping Hope Alive

Hope is a powerful force that can transform and sustain us during challenging times. In this personal and inspiring dharma talk, Rev. WonGong shares her perspectives on hope's expansiveness and depth, and she reminds us that hope is not a naive wish but an important practice.

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From Bias to Awareness

A Spiritual Pride Service inspired reflections on embracing diversity and confronting biases with an open heart. Drawing on Won Buddhist teachings, Rev. Shaun Song highlights the importance of staying focused (single-practice samadhi) in both challenges and comfort, urging compassionate action for a more inclusive world.

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Living an Abundant Life

What does it mean, "to live an abundant life?" Won Buddhist practitioner, Jo Ann Reeves (JooAhn), dives into this question and reminds us that no matter what stage of life we are in, setting cornerstones of gratitude, contentment, and purpose are key. When developed through our practice, these living cornerstones become the foundation for a rich and fulfilling existence.

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Catalyzing Enlightenment

The universe is full of catalysts! Some come into our lives in the form of great teachers, while others may appear as brief or subtle shimmers of nature. Rev. Shaun Song provides some wonderful examples of both in this multi-layered dharma talk, and he encourages us to use our minds of open inquiry to discover these special gems as we journey in dharma and practice.

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Harvesting the Field of Our Minds

The way we cultivate the fields of our minds results in the harvest we experience. This truth is beautifully explored by Rev. WonGong in this enlightening dharma talk. She reminds us that diligent cultivation is good, but we must avoid judgment, as it will exhaust and parch the mind-field we are trying to nurture. Rev. WonGong encourages us to follow the instincts of our true mind and to seek support from the community so we can cultivate a healthy mind-field and reap a beneficial harvest.

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Being Humbled and Empowered by Grace

The practice of gratitude is fundamental to Won Buddhism, and it means much more than developing a sense of appreciation. In this insightful dharma talk, longtime practitioner, Rebecca Kameny (Won Hee), explores what having a relationship with the essential graces of the universe entails, and she highlights the important roles that awareness, inquiry, and alignment with it play in our practice journey.

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Dog Dharma

What is true for both people and dogs is that we can calm our rambunctious minds through training. In this delightful comparison of mind-training and dog-training, longtime Won Buddhist practitioner, John Delconte (Won ShinKeun), shares some essentials for training success: engaging in a positive, consistent, and focused practice; discovering the root causes of our thinking and behaviors; and recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings during times of both grace and challenge.

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